The State of Indiana Makes Many Changes to Medicaid Waiver Program

On September 1, 2012, the State of Indiana completely changed up the Waiver Program. Below you will find the main points pertaining to the changes. For more information, please visit our website at www.bridgesofindiana.com. If you have any questions, contact Rick at 812-881-1220.

The following are the changes being made to the Medicaid Waiver Program:

·   The Support Services Waiver will be replaced with a new Family Supports Waiver and the Developmental Disabilities and Autism Waivers will be replaced and combined into the Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver.

·   The Family Supports Waiver will be used as the basic entry point to receive waiver services.

·   The Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver will be used as a "Needs Based" waiver only for people who meet specific criteria.

·   Individuals who are on a waiting list for the DD, Autism, or Support Services Waivers will be targeted for the new Family Supports Waiver based on their earliest date of application.

·   Individuals who currently receive services through the DD or Autism Waiver will be transitioned onto the Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver.

FSSA is sensitive to the fact that there are people who have been waiting for years for supports who are near the top of the DD Waiver waiting list. They plan to work with these individuals on a case-by-case basis to determine if they would receive the Family Supports Waiver or the Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver as they come off of the current DD Waiver waiting list.

The new Family Supports Waiver will:

·   Increase the waiver budget cap from $13,500 to $16,250 and increase flexibility in how an individual's Medicaid Waiver budget can be used.

·   Add Participant Assistance and Care as a new waiver service to provide a new level of support to an individual either in the family home or in an individual's own home.

·   Services available under the Family Supports Waiver include: Adult Day Services, Case Management, Prevocational Services, Respite, Supported Employment Follow Along, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Psychological Therapy, Speech/Language Therapy, Behavioral Support Services, Community Based Habilitation – Group & Individual, Facility Based Habilitation – Group & Individual, Facility Based Support Services, Family and Caregiver Training, Intensive Behavioral Intervention, Music Therapy, Participant Assistance and Care, Personal Emergency Response System, Recreational Therapy, Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies, Transportation, & Workplace Assistance

Changes to Case Management: The following four entities will be available to provide case management as a waiver services: Advocacy Links, LLC- 574-229-5065, The Columbus Organization- 610-592-0292, IPMG- 317-585-5944, Unity of Indiana- 317-458-0113

Message from Gina Soulier in the Therapy Department:

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you several exciting things that have been happening in our department along with some changes we will be making to better serve our families.

I am very passionate about our new services and how effective they have been. These new services add to the cohesiveness of our mission and opportunities for consumers. As you can see all three services have been growing with an increased growth in Music and Recreational Therapy. I currently have 5 music therapists on staff and 1 Recreational Therapist. We are growing and that is wonderful!

In order to accommodate and provide quality therapeutic services to every individual that is in need of our services, we must become facility based. It is vital to provide our therapeutic services in a safe and structured area where the therapists have room, less distractions, and use of instruments and tools. This new change will only affect Music and Recreational Therapy.

We are excited about this change and very much believe that it will allow even more independence and individualism among our consumers.

It's Been A While..

Greetings!

I know it has been a bit since we have blogged. As most of you know, every day tasks get in the way of things such as this sometimes.  I just wanted to take a brief moment and let you all know that we are STILL HERE :)

An important topic I wanted to share with you today is about the Caregiver Support Program sign ups.  Please see the memo information below from the BDDS.

The Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services announces the  Caregiver Support Services funds  will be available for the fiscal year- July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013.  The Caregiver Support Services is 100% state funded.

Services will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and an application must  be completed for  each fiscal year's  Caregiver Support Services funds.   Previous applications during fiscal year 2012 for Caregiver  Support Services do not  carry over to fiscal year 2013.

The application for Caregiver  Supports  Services must  be made in person  at the  Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services district offices  by the primary caregiver,OR, if eligibility has not yet been determined for the individual, the primary caregiver  and the individual must complete the application in person at the district offices. (If the individual has already  been determined eligible for BDDS services, the individual is not required to be present.)

The primary caregiver  and the individual(s) may apply for  Caregiver Support Services at the BDDS district offices on and after  Monday, June 25, 2012.  (Application is available on the  DDRS Forms webpage to print, complete and bring to District Office to submit.)

As long as the  Caregiver Support Services funds are available, the  Caregiver Support Services can be approved and available when  1) individual meets  the state  definition of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and 2) the  primary caregiver  selects a provider. The individual cannot receive Caregiver  Support Services and receive  any other  state funded services,such as VR services, First Steps, CHOICE, Division  of Aging waiver, etc.